A Special Interview with the Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia, H.E Zuhair Al Shun

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) hold a special interview with the Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia, H.E Zuhair Al Shun to discuss issues related to Israel’s annexation plan.

The meeting was held at the Palestinian Embassy, Menteng, Central Jakarta on Monday (June 22).

Here are the contents of the interview:

MINA: If it turns out that the annexation of West Bank by Israel is the first step towards the realization of Deal of Century initiated by the United States (US), what will be the impact on Palestine and what efforts will Palestine do?

Palestinian Ambassador: The US attitudes and policies towards Palestine are not foreign to us, so far we feel that there is no alignment with Palestinians at all, it feels even farther for us to see the US policy towards the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state on its own land.

Also we know, Israel stands not on their land, from the end of the sea to the tip of the land does not belong to Israel. Until the United Kingdom and the United States brought Zionism in our homeland, finally the Palestinian territories agreed on 44 percent and Israel 52 percent.

Now, we see how the agreement is today? The world know, Israel violate and transcend borders, even ignoring the international community by annexing Palestinian territory as much as 22 percent of the Palestinian state.

With the support of the US and the silence of the European Union at that time, Israel easily got the 22 percent that covered the Al-Quds region, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Golen Valley as well as the Mount Sinai and parts of Lebanese land.

And that is the fact at this time, the US policy which is truly against, I say once again against the agreement. Plus we can see how impartial the current US Government is under Trump against Israel compared to previous leaders.

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The Trump administration has seen its true form which is very much in favor of Israel. Policies against human rights, UN resolutions, Humanity.

It doesn’t have to go far like UNRWA which helps the Palestinian refugee sectors in Education and Health, he stopped the aid, even though it was not used for war or resistance.

That stupid policy issued by Trump shows us the actual attitude of the US. Palestinian President at that time refused to discuss, we will not beg for the US. Since then the Palestinian-US relations have been harmonious.

Other evidence, Trump gave Israel Al-Quds, who does he think? The owner of this world? Does Palestine belong to its ancestors? Why didn’t he give Israel land in the US, why did he give it to Palestine? If indeed he likes and supports Israel.

If the US continues like this, there will not be any development for the realization of peace in Palestine.

How can the US continue to be a mediator of peace if it continues like this? In principle, as long as the US is unfair and sided with the “Satanic” Israeli Government.

Therefore, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas no longer wants the United States alone as a mediator, but the United Nations, Russia, China including Indonryresia are jointly involved.

MINA: After what Israel has done to Palestine which is so detrimental and unjust, will the negotiation solution with Israel initiated by the late President Yasir Arafat remain a solution?

Palestinian Ambassador: Okay, now we enter into a peace discussion in a five-year transition period starting with the establishment of a Palestinian body elected to manage the territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war.

At that time, the discussion of the late Yasir Arafat with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (1974-1977) both agreed to bring about peace talks for Palestine-Israel.

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However, apparently there was a “devil” in the Israeli Government at that time, Rabin was killed, so the negotiations were deadlocked. Next came Rabin’s successors including Ariel Sharon, there were negotiations but only on paper, Israel’s violations of Palestine never stopped.

Therefore, I say that Palestine wants peace, we want to live peacefully like other countries in the world. We bitterly share our land with Israel, hoping that peace can be realized. But apparently until now Israel did not want to do it.

Even worse, it seems that Israel wants to control the entire Palestinian territories and exercise its power.

Unfortunately again, many of our neighboring countries believe to this day that Israel can befriend Palestinians. Such a pity.

Peace talks if only for coffee and tea are really not needed anymore. The negotiations that we want are those that protect our interests and our rights that have been passed down by the late Yasir Arafat.

Peace negotiations that disregard our rights are only lying negotiations. Human rights violations, humanity, illegal settlements, killings, and violence committed by Israel concluded that they did not know the language of peace, they would understand better if we put up a fight.

MINA: UN, OIC, European Union, African Union, Arab League condemn Israeli policy, how do you respond?

Palestinian Ambassador: I have lived 30 years in the world of diplomacy, hundreds or even thousands of resolutions that contain condemnations, threats, warnings against Israel, how many of these resolutions were realized?

All that has never left Israel threatened, canceling its plans. So, I have said that diplomatic language is not the only solution for this solution, our people in Al-Quds, the West Bank, Gaza Strip, are increasingly convinced of the way of resistance, because they understand Israel will understand more.

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I lived and witnessed the events of 1967, I understood the character of Israel, they would not understand feelings, they only knew the language of violence and deprivation.

Therefore, the international community should be able to move more massively against Israel.

MINA: How is your view about Indonesian Foreign Policy towards Palestine?

Palestinian Ambassador: I have been living for 2 years in Indonesia, many regions and cities that I have visited, institutions, community organizations, parties.

The Indonesian people and their government are one voice against the defense of Palestine. Even in a moment I had a dialogue with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, I told him “You are more Palestinian than me,” because she very understands Palestine, even in her meetings in international forums, she always voices Palestine, including when dialoguing with the US Foreign Minister.

We are proud of this Indonesian political attitude. Palestine feels Indonesia in our hearts, a lot of aid that Indonesia has provided, cooperation in education, humanity, trade including bilateral which includes a zero tariff for the import of olive oil and dates from Palestine.

MINA: MINA as lnternational News Agency that supports Palestine, even in our tagline that Peace in Palestine Peace in the World. What is your opinion ?

Palestinian Ambassador: Yes, it is very true, Palestinian Issue is a world problem, Muslim and Arabic. The stability of the international world depends very much on the stability of Palestine.

This world needs stability and balance, as long as there are people who are wronged and who do wrong are still in power, the world will not be balanced.

Injustice will not last forever, there will be a limit and finally, we will see the impact of all the injustices committed by its actors, especially with what happened to us in Palestine. (TW/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)